Tuesday Rambles with David - The Mill Race, St. Jacobs, ON

07 November 2017

We have probed the earth, excavated it, burned it, ripped things from it, buried things in it, chopped down its forests, levelled its hills, muddied its waters, and dirtied its air. That does not fit my definition of a good tenant. If we were here on a month-to-month basis, we would have been evicted long ago.

-Rose Bird, Chief Justice of California Supreme Court (2 Nov 1936-1999) 

     Franc and Carol are still away in Europe (I think they return tomorrow), Judy was otherwise occupied, so it looked as though we would be only five of the regular group of eight, this morning, but at the last minute something came up that Jim and Francine had to take care of, so Miriam and I were joined only by the indefatigable and ever entertaining, Mary. 

     A leisurely stroll along the Mill Race, where the last vestiges of Autumn bedeck the landscape, seemed just what the bird doctor ordered.

     It was a pleasant 2.5° when we set off, with sun poking through every now and then. The sheer number of birds was quite amazing, especially common species like White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis).

       Some kind individual makes it a practice to set out sunflower seeds for the birds, as you can see in the above pictures. He/she does this the entire length of the trail and the birds respond accordingly. 

     Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) are wonderfully handsome little birds at this time of year, and they perhaps more than all other passerines have no hesitation in associating with humans.

     I had intended to bring sunflower seeds with me, but forgot, nevertheless I didn't feel guilty holding out my hand since so much seed had been deposited for them. I will rectify my error next time I go to the Mill Race!

     Downy Woodpeckers (Dryobates pubescens) were also as common as I have ever seen them, with sometimes at least four individuals present at the same time. A conservative count would be at least twenty individuals as we walked the length and breadth of the trail.

     Contrasted with this we saw but one Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinensis).

     Eastern Chipmunks (Tamias striatus) were kept busy gathering seeds and nuts for their winter storage, and they took advantage of sunflower seeds strewn around by the birds.

     Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) was also commonly seen and heard.

     The prize for the "bird of the day" goes to Mary whose sharp eyes picked out this Rusty Blackbird (Eupagus carolinus). I am sure that most of its conspecifics have already migrated.

     Glossy Buckthorn (Frangula alnus) is an invasive species that crowds out native trees, but its berries are relished by many birds.

     I don't believe that Wild Cucumber (Echinocystis lobata) provides food for anything. This species is also called Bur Cucumber or Prickly Cucumber - which is a really good reason to familiarize yourself with the scientific name.

     Numerous pairs of Mallards (Anas platyrynchos) plied their way up and down the Mill Race.

     And this individual appears to be a Mallard/Black Duck (Anas rubipres) cross.

    At the end of our walk Mary pointed out that Miriam and I, especially Miriam, are generally behind the camera and that she should take a picture of the two of us together. Here is the result.

     It was great morning out together - pleasant weather, scintillating company, wonderful wildlife. What more could anyone ask for?

All species seen: Mallard, Mallard/Black Duck intergrade, Ring-billed Gull, American Herring Gull, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, White-breasted Nuthatch, American Robin, House Sparrow, American Goldfinch, Rusty Blackbird, White-throated Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, American Tree Sparrow, Northern Cardinal - Total: 18 full species and one Mallard/American Black Duck cross.